1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to service parts planning and in particular to pull planning for unserviceable parts in connection with on-demand repair planning.
2. Background of the Invention
A critical aspect of many supply chains is a network of repair locations that cooperate to receive, diagnose, and repair broken or otherwise unusable parts so that these parts can be returned to service and consumed similar to regular inventory. For example, a typical multi-level repair network may include, within a first level, a number of repair centers at a number of locations that receive, diagnose, and repair unusable parts and may each specialize in repairing a particular type of part. If a repair center is able to repair a part, then the repair center may repair the part and ship the repaired part to one of a number of stocking locations for consumption. If the repair center is unable to repair the part, however, then the part may need to be shipped to one of a number of central repair centers within a second level, which may each specialize in repairing a particular type of part, where the part is again received, diagnosed, and hopefully repaired. If the central repair center is able to repair a part, then the repair center may repair the part and ship the repaired part to an appropriate stocking location. If the central repair center is unable to repair the part, however, then the part may need to be further shipped to a vendor of the part within a third level, where the part is once again received, diagnosed, and hopefully repaired. If the vendor is able to repair a part, the vendor may repair the part and ship the repaired part to an appropriate stocking location or warehouse. If the vendor is unable to repair the part, however, the part may simply be discarded.
In certain industries, such repair processes may be very expensive, involving costs associated with temporary storage, diagnosis, and possibly repair of a part at each repair location in the repair network to which the part is shipped. Additional costs are incurred while a part remains unconsumed at a stocking location. Further costs must be incurred to ship a part between repair locations in the repair network. Repair planning involves attempts to minimize undesirable costs associated with broken or otherwise unusable parts to improve the cost-efficiency of the supply chain and increase overall profitability. Previous repair planning techniques have been inadequate in many supply chain environments.